In person and Online
"The harp is such a soothing instrument and combined with a guided meditation and visualisation it has a profound effect. I'd never heard of harp therapy until recently and it's been such an eye-opening and relaxing experience. I can't thank Julia enough for her exquisite talent.
I hope more people discover this."
Spring 2024 Online harp relaxations
All our welcome to join the upcoming group Drift Away sessions. These are at on
Friday 8th March
Friday 22nd March
Friday 5th April
Friday 19th April
Payment is completely optional. Tickets are available via Ticketsource (recommended for UK) or Eventbrite.
Connect to your Calm is a very special one to one service in which I use music and optional guided imagery to help you relax and rediscover your sense of balance and peace.
We start with a free session in which we will talk about what the harp can offer and whether it will meet your needs.
I will play to you so you can experience for yourself what the sessions will be like. There is no obligation whatsoever to do further sessions.
If you choose to continue we will arrange a further 3 sessions (spaced fortnightly). At the end of the course you will receive a recording of your own personal relaxation, using all the elements which worked best for you.
For a free download and more information click on the logo.
"I feel very relaxed. As I listened all these beautiful images came into my mind that I wasn't thinking about before. I could easily have fallen asleep...the sound quality was excellent and I really think it just brings good things to mind"
"I just want to do it again! I was slightly apprehensive but there was absolutely no need. I came back to the beach at the end, the sand was warm and the sun on my face - bliss!
After I had a bath (candle and wine!) then straight to bed and slept so well!"
"Julia - I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I slept better than I have in years! And I feel so positive this morning."
Mind Painting is a beautiful combination of live harp and speech. Starting with a deep relaxation, participants are then led through a series of visualisations. The mind creates its own individual lovely images in response to the vocal prompts and gentle music.
The mind's eye can travel whereever it wants to go and at the end of the session participants are left with a collection of peaceful images and feelings to be returned to at any time.
"Just what I needed in these times of uncertainly. It has been a week since my session and my mood is still perky and constant. I don’t feel the need to be doing more. I am finding enjoyment in doing one task at a time. When in silence I find myself humming. I am content. This was such a blissful experience."
A Drift Away session is pure harp with little, if any, speech. I use melody, harmony and rhythm to help your mind switch off and your body to relax.
The harp travels through three different modes, or moods of music (known in Harp Therapy as the Celtic Circle) while the participants drift away to the peaceful sound of this lovely instrument.
The harp has been used throughout history to calm the mind and relax the body and this is a continuation of that beautiful tradition.
"I could not be more delighted.... The music flowed so organically and it was a thrill and a pleasure to hear it. This is a must for all stressed out people!!"
During 2020 I invested in good quality sound equipment in order to be able to deliver therapeutic sessions over the internet allowing you to enjoy this special experience anywhere in the world.
Requirements at your end are a reliable internet connection, a laptop, phone or tablet and familiarity with Zoom. Headphones are recommended if you have them but are not essential.
Below are some of the ways that I can deliver harp relaxations. All of them are available online and in person.
A harp relaxation is a lovely and unusual addition to a wellness festival. Please get in touch if you would like Peaceful Strings to be part of your event, either live or online.
If your event has a particular theme I can work with you to create a harp meditation which is perfectly suited.
Below are a few comments from the harp meditation which was part of the Love Trails/Be More You Virtual Race and Wellbeing festival:
Wow, wow, wow --- Incredible!!!!!!
I got goosebumps...Lovely playing and great guidance.
How special is this?
That was incredible. The pace and tempo took me through so many emotions
One off events for company wellness festivals or regular sessions
Loved the harp meditation delivered by Julia for us, it was extremely well executed and relaxing. Excellent.
Steve Hill, Territory Manager, AzkoNobel UK
Just to say a big thank you from everyone at CSA for a memorable day last week. It was so cleansing and beautiful.
Clive Self, Managing Director, CSA Environmental
Figures in recent years have shown a sharp increase in levels of work-related stress.
According to the Health and Safety Executive’s report ‘Work related stress, depression or anxiety statistics in Great Britain, 2018’, in 2017/18 stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 44% of all work-related ill health cases and 57% of all working days lost due to ill health. That is 15.4 million working days. According to Acas, mental ill health costs employers in the UK £30 billion every year through lost productivity, recruitment and absence.
It is widely recognised that giving the brain a proper break at some point in the day can help prevent burnout, refresh the mind and improve mood. People relax in different ways and an effective wellbeing offering needs to reflect this. For those who relax best by staying still, closing their eyes and meditating or drifting off, a Mind Painting or Drift Away therapeutic harp session is ideal.
The final section of the session can be tailored to suit what is following. It can be 'end of day', which will be quiet, peaceful and not disturb the feeling of rest that has been created. Alternatively it can be 'get up and get on', in which the tempo of the music, the tone of my voice and the instructions participants are given brings people back to full (though rested) consciousness. Either way, participants are left with a collection of positive feelings and images which they can return to at any time.
Sessions can be delievered online or in person depending on location.
To find out more and to discuss options please contact me
Are you planning a retreat, perhaps with yoga, pilates or meditation?
You'll be giving so much thought to every detail - the location, the number of people, the food, the activities, the bedrooms and facilities. For a retreat to be the relaxing haven that your guests are hoping for, everything needs to be perfect.
Live harp music is that extra thing that adds another dimension of relaxation and sets your retreat apart. It can be background music at mealtimes, a group Drift Away or Mind Painting session scheduled at the end of a pilates or yoga session, or individual one-to-one harp therapy sessions for your guests. Please get in touch to discuss dates and requirements. I'm currently taking provisional live bookings for 2022 and online ones for 2021.
"Bliss"
"At the end I had that feeling you get when you fall asleep on a beach on holiday"
"Thank you for a lovely, relaxing evening...just what we needed after a busy week. Will be back again!"
"Extremely relaxing, tranquil way to clear the mind after a hectic week"
Therapeutic harp is well established in America as a valued service within hospitals, hospices and nursing homes and there are an increasing number of us working in Europe and worldwide.
Playing the right thing at the right time for an individual, their visitors or their carers can be a powerfully effective therapy, whether it is bringing back a happy memory, providing a much needed distraction or using the resonance of the harp to calm and soothe at difficult times. Please get in touch with me if you are interested in this service. I cover North Herts, South Cambs and East Beds
a few of the past events in 2022
We Out Here Festival, near Huntingdon, Cambs.
25th August 2022
Harp Relaxation was part of the beautiful offer in the wellness area
Yoga Nidra followed by Drift Away Harp Relaxation at the Yoga Hall in St Albans
Sunday 6th March
7.30-9.00 pm
with Lou Stanion and Julia Mitchell
This was a deeply peaceful evening of yoga and harp
Health and Wellbeing at Work Show
15th and 16th March 2022
NEC Birmingham
A great experience meeting people, talking about wellbeing in the workplace and and introducing Peaceful Strings
Day Retreat with Chanting Stork Yoga
Chrishall
Sunday 20th March 2022
I loved being part of this day celebrating the spring equinox with Chanting Stork yoga. The weather even played its part and it was a beautiful day!
On 21st October (rescheduled from 23rd September) 2023 I ran an introductory afternoon for UK harpists interested in training with the International Harp Therapy Programme. We covered:
Harp therapy applications / Improvising with Modes / Key principles of Harp Therapy/ Opportunities for further study with the IHTP/
The harp therapy family around the world
Further introductory events are planned for 2024.
